Category Archive

I wanted to talk about addiction. I have a background in psychology. I am actually quitting smoking tomorrow, and cutting down today. I’ve been around the drug scene. Some of my friends are in various health services as well. So, it’s not just dry science to me. Old school mentalities toward addiction include the likes of the disease model. Basically that’s like being branded in a way. You’re stuck with it. But there are many other models of recovery and addiction itself. Rational Recovery for example pits the higher mind against the animal brain – in a manner perhaps comparable to cognitive behavioural therapy. Which leads me nicely along to the piece of research I’d like to talk about. [i] Coked up Marsupials Basically they got some cocaine addicted rats. Rats that would endure pain to get cocaine. Okay, so they aren’t in PETA. They targeted an area of the brain associated in humans with inhibition and decision making. By targeting this region, in the addicted rats, they reduced compulsive drug taking behaviour. Pretty cool, right? The region targeted in … Read More

There are in fact loads of psychedelics in nature. Unfortunately, some of these plants are illegal to own, and some illegal to process. So in this week’s addition about psychedelic plant drugs in New Zealand, I’ll be dividing the plants up into “Legal to own, but not process” and “Legal in general”. It’s important to note that some plants like San Pedro are common, legal to possess but processing them, such as making a tea from one, or extracting the Mescaline, as Mescaline is a Class A drug, is a felony – so please I advise you not to do this. Remember also, that if you wish to explore the self, meditation, floatation and hypnosis are effective routes! Fully Legit The plants that are fully legal are often pretty mild in effect, but effective all the same. On the less LSD like side, we have ‘Sun Opener’ which I have not personally tried, but it apparently produces a cannabis like psychedelia and colored vision. It’s well enough rated by others to be worthy of a mention, certainly not euphoric like cannabis, … Read More

Nature is pretty abundant with relaxing chemicals. And we are familiar with many of them without knowing it, like lavenders powerful “linalool”, or the theanine in tea that gives you a chill feeling. When it comes to relaxing legal plants in nature, there is a lot of options here in NZ. They presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Ancient painkillers First used by the Egyptians, and introduced to medicine before opium as a painkiller; Myrrh is culturally protected as a staple of Christian ritual and religion. It was given to Jesus on the cross, in wine, to relieve his pain, and of course, it’s in the nativity story too. It’s of course mainly used in aromatherapy and church incense. Recreationally, it produces a stony dreamy space, via similar mechanisms to opium, which some have compared to Kratom in feeling. There are a variety of ways to ingest plant oils, with transdermal (rubbed onto the skin) and via steam probably being the healthiest. We don’t know a lot about overuse, and the health effects so don’t smoke oils, … Read More

Legal Highs are still available in New Zealand I’m writing a series here on entheogens and legal highs in NZ. It’s been a confusing time since the psychoactive substances act came into force. While the law has not yet provided a scientific path to legal high drug testing (at least not without animal testing), it has however opened up a black market far scarier than what Peter Dunne and the public had ever imagined. The new law also created some confusion around the definition of a psychoactive substance and what natural plants may or may not fall under the new bill. Getting high or catching a buzz from your local health store or supermarket in NZ As it turns out… nature, industry and the majority of middle class kiwis got to keep all their habitual highs, and some of them are pretty good. The way the law was applied allows for religious, cultural, gardening, food and medicinal exceptions. It quite rightly ignores the majority of herbs that are mild enough to be sold in most major supermarket chains. You’d be surprised that there … Read More

Now I can’t promise anyone they won’t experience distress on psychedelic drugs, but I can say that it will pass – and equally a drug trip can be life changing, euphoric and beautiful. The first thing you should absolutely sure of is, what drug you have, and how much you should take. If you are dealing with magic mushrooms for example, you should absolutely stop over at the mushroom forum here on TripMe and get help with the ID, as well as research appropriate dosages for that species. Know your drug. Mushroom ID forum It’s hard to emphasize how important some of these things can be to those who haven’t experienced psychedelic states, but please be aware, your inner thoughts and feelings will be large, and your logic and normal capabilities diminished. It’s better to have everything in place first. Trip Setting The environment you choose to trip in is very important. You want an environment that is both happy and relaxing to you. Consider carefully how the place you are considering, makes you feel. It’s a great idea to … Read More